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Against Question 5

(
November 5, 2012
)

Toothpaste squeezed out of a tube follows as more sensible path than Maryland's revised congressional districts. Why so bizarre? Mostly to benefit incumbent Democrats and to expand their reach. (This time around, that means knocking off incumbent Republican Rep. Roscoe Bartlett in the 6th.)
Democrats justify such gerrymandering on the grounds that Republicans do the same in other states. But what about the broader interest in making sure Maryland voters aren't disenfranchised by these serpentine districts that snake across county lines and geographic boundaries? Better to force Gov. Martin O'Malley and lawmakers back to the drawing board.